Casket-lowering apparatus.



No. 655,|37. Patented luly 3|, |900.

E. B. VOORHEES. 'cAsKET Lowenma APPAnATus.

(Application4 med Ju. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

@www BY other.

UNITED STATES- EMORY B. VOORHEES,

PATENT OFFICE..

Aor ovID, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent NO. 655,137, dated. July 31, 19.

Y VApplication filed J'in 9,1900. Serial No. 19,753. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMoRY B. VooHEns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ovid, in the county of Clinton and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful improvements in Casket-Lowering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesvto a safety lowering apparatus for use at graves or vaults to lower caskets or coffins therein; and the invention consists of the combination and arrangement' of parts, substantially as hereinafter de-V scribed and claimed.`

The primary object of my invention is to provide for folding the casket-lowering apparatus into'a compact form.

A further object of my invention is to provide for folding the casket-lowering apparatus in such a way as not to interfere with its efficiency when in use in lowering a casket or coffin into the vault.

These objects I accomplish by the mechanism and combination of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l shows a plan view of my casketlowering apparatus when unfolded and in position for use. Fig. 2 shows also a plan .view

of the frame folded in one direction, dotted lines showing the position of the end fold; and Fig. 3 shows a perspective `view of the side pieces.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A B and A' B show the longer sides of the frame.

C and C show the ends of the frame, which fold with the sections B B'.

F and F show the end of the frame.

H and H show the hinges which allo-w the longer sides of the frame to be folded together, so that one will lie in close proximity to the E E represent the hinges which connect the sections A and B and the sections A' and B.

W W represent the webs upon which the coffin or casket rests before it is lowered into the grave.

The mechanism for lowering the casket or coffin is entirely inclosed and concealed by the framework shown in the drawings, and 5o' inasmuch as the same forms nolpart of my invention is not illustrated in the drawings. My device is folded in the following man ner: Referring now to Fig. 1, the side pieces A' B and the end section C F' are turned 55 upon the hinges H H so that C' rests upon C,

lB upon B, A upon A, andFuponF, which V'will leave the frame in the position shown in Fig. 2. After the frame has been folded, as above described, and not before, `the section o B B', being connected by the hinged hinges E E, is folded down into, the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. By these two operations the frame is but one-half its origi; nal width and is shortened by substantially the length of the section B B and, can readily be placed in the box or shell Wb ich is used to inclose the coffin or casket.

It willbe noted that inasmuch as the hinges E and E cannot be brought into use until the 7o side pieces have been folded together, as above described, the entire apparatus orA frame will remain rigid when opened or unfolded and that by the method of folding I have described the efficiency of the device is in no way decreased. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A device of the character described, com; 8o`

prising a sectional frame or structure, with the sections of its end pieces, each, joined by a hinge having its axis arranged horizontally and the sections of its side pieces each joined` by a hinge having its axis arranged vertically -8 5 at right angles to the axis of the hinge connecting the end sections, said hinges for the side pieces being coincident whenthe sides are folded the one upon the otherfsubstantially as set forth. i 9o In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EMoRY s. vooRHEEs.

`Witnesses:

JOHN HIGH, W. J. MARTIN. 

